I defy you to listen to The Black Keys' album El Camino and not want to dance.
Put it on the stereo - up loud - and get grooving.
Dance. Go on, let yourself go.Now, if you have an iPod, an MP3 player or any other portable device that plays music and you've been lacking motivation to get moving, El Camino will do it. So put those headphones on and head into the great outdoors with a beat in your step.
Inside your head you'll be a cool cat, so when those teens look at you with haughty scorn, you can give a sneer back, because, hey, you're listening to The Black Keys. OK, so they've probably never heard of them and are more than likely still in Bieberty, but street cred is all in your own mind anyway.Remember, I also play Spongebob Squarepants... "It's the best day ever..."
Music, as I have mentioned many times before and will again, is my great motivator.
I would even say it's my Muse.
That works for both writing and exercise. It's my way of tapping into the great beyond, so to speak.
So, if you see me before a sports event, warming up with earphones in, barely acknowledging anybody, don't be offended, I'm just doing my Jonah Lomu thing.
OK, so I'm not comparing myself to the rugby-playing great, however, I will be gathering myself in the same kind of way. Hyping myself up, focusing, visualising and all that.
One of my greatest sporting heroes used to do that. Her name is Sheryl George and no, she's not the New Plymouth District Council member, but one of the most amazing sportswomen I've ever seen in action.
She was a New Zealand champion surf lifesaver at beach sprinting, ironwoman, tube rescue, board - she was the ultimate all-rounder in the water and on the sand. But she was also a Silver Fern and a Tall Fern, which is amazing in itself.
Before racing on the beach, Sheryl would go inside her head. Simply withdraw.
I was the nervous people pleaser and it's only now, looking back over the years, that I understand what my rival was doing and why she was a champion.
Sheryl was focused, visualising her efforts and already winning that race.
So it's taken me a bit longer to learn all this and probably way too late to take any major titles, but I'll still do my best.
Don't worry, I haven't turned into a sports snob or anything - I'll be as friendly as anything after a race, but not before. I will be inward, thinking about transitions and what I have to do.
That happened at the Sunday Farmer's Market the other day.
I was on a mission to get something before it closed and I only had a few minutes to go. A lovely woman stopped me and I was caught, mid-stride, and know I was extremely vacant.
Poor woman. She probably thought I was unfriendly and a bit rude, but I realise that's what I'm like on task, on deadline; I kind of blank everything else out.
It comes from 29 years of this journalism gig, I guess.
So apologies to anyone, especially those who phone me during pressure times.
Or those who want to chat while I'm out training.
I won't be stopping, sorry, but I will wave, smile and call out "gidday".
When I'm out walk-running it's all go, but sometimes I do chat at the end of the pool while swim training. On the bike, you can talk with the person you're riding with - if my husband can keep up - hah!
Have been for some great walk-runs, some long walks and some testing bike rides.
Am sitting here in my new Sarah Ulmer Brand (SUB) bike pants that I got for my birthday and eating my breakfast as I write. Love those summer nectarines. Mmmm.
On the food front, I've just been enjoying everything that summer has to offer. Salads, barbecues, watermelon, corn on the cob, roast garlic, basil, tomatoes and avocados. The latter are eaten at nearly every meal in our household because they contain everything damn fine - good oils, vitamins, mineral and protein. They are, in short, the perfect food and yet people still shy away from them and think they are fattening.
They aren't!
I am living proof of this.
Yes, I have lost more weight.
The other day I was at the beach and a friend got me to pick up her daughter.
She felt heavy and even hurt my ailing shoulder (which is now getting better). She weighed 26kg, which is how much I have now lost.
My eyes filled with tears, my throat clogged up.
"I was carrying you around all the time," I said to the bewildered 11-year-old.
Then I beamed.
"But not any more... not any more!"
Today, I:
Biked for 14km (lots of uphill)
Swam 10 lengths of a 50 metre pool (first swim back after shoulder injury)
Drank lots of water
Ate 3 fantastic nutritious meals
Drank heaps of water
Had 2 cups of coffee
Had 1 cup of peppermint tea
Worked for 6 hours
Slept for 7 hours
Had a leg massage
Yesterday, I:
Walked for 45 minutes
Swam in the sea for 30 minutes
Drank lots of water
Worked for 6 hours
Had 3 cups of coffee
Slept for 7 hours
Went to physio for shoulder
Monday, I:
Worked for 13 hours (bad, bad, bad)
It was a rest day for exercise
Ate pretty well, but did clean up all the chocolate macadamia spread in the house
Drank lots of water
Had 3 cups of coffee
Slept for 6 hours
Sunday, I:
Went for a 60-minute walk (endurance!)
Ate three nutritious meals
Didn't drink enough water
Had 2 cups of coffee
Worked for 2 hours
Slept for 8 hours
You go girl!!!
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